BDO, the world’s fifth largest network of independent public accounting firms, today announced the admission of a new member firm in Kuwait. The new BDO Kuwait, Al Nisf & Partners, is among the top three audit, tax and consulting firms in Kuwait. The firm’s clients in Kuwait include some of the country’s largest listed companies, as well as a large number of multinationals operating in Kuwait. The new member firm is effective immediately.
“Kuwait is an important economy in the Middle East and our new firm strengthens BDO’s presence in the entire Middle East, and in the Gulf in particular. BDO Kuwait will have a positive impact on our ability to serve clients not only in this region, but across the network,” said Martin van Roekel, CEO of BDO International Limited. “I have no doubt that their joining BDO will not only enable the further rapid growth of the Kuwaiti firm, but bring additional benefits to our network as a whole.”
“There is no doubt that we are a good fit for BDO”, said Qais Al Nisf, Managing Partner of BDO Kuwait. “Delivering excellent and personalized service to our clients is our priority objective, in keeping with BDO’s stated market position based on strong relationships with clients and distinctive levels of service. Membership in the BDO network will help us deliver a globally integrated approach to client service.”
About BDO USA
BDO is the brand name for BDO USA, LLP, a U.S. professional services firm providing assurance, tax, financial advisory and consulting services to a wide range of publicly traded and privately held companies. For more than 100 years, BDO has provided quality service through the active involvement of experienced and committed professionals. The firm serves clients through 41 offices and more than 400 independent alliance firm locations nationwide. As an independent Member Firm of BDO International Limited, BDO serves multi-national clients through a global network of 1,082 offices in 119 countries.
PwC US today announced that Mark J. Mendola has been named as PwC’s U.S. Tax leader and a vice chairman of the firm. He will also serve as a member of the firm’s U.S. leadership team and the global Tax leadership team. Additionally, he will be responsible for the network of Tax practices across the Americas, including Canada, Mexico and South America. Mr. Mendola succeeds J. Richard Stamm, who has been named as vice-chairman, Tax, for the PwC network.
“Mark is uniquely qualified to assume this important role,” said Bob Moritz, chairman and senior partner of PwC US. “His significant leadership roles and years of service within PwC’s Tax practice and focus on delivering quality to our broader stakeholders will steer PwC’s clients through these uncertain economic times.”
Mr. Mendola most recently served on PwC’s Tax core leadership team as the Tax managing partner. In that capacity, he led the firm’s Tax market and client service strategy and was responsible for industry sectors and several Tax business units. Prior to serving in that role, he was the Tax leader for PwC’s Canadian firm, based in Toronto. In addition to these Tax-specific leadership roles, Mr. Mendola previously served as the Detroit office managing partner, the global Tax and U.S. automotive industry leader and as the lead partner on several large multinational clients.
A certified public accountant, Mr. Mendola is a graduate of Oakland University (Michigan), and received his MBA from the University of Notre Dame. A frequent instructor and speaker, he has been active in the greater Detroit community and is on the board of several charitable organizations.
Mr. Mendola joined PwC in 1986, serving in the Detroit Tax practice. He became a partner in 1998.
About PwC’s U.S. Tax Practice
PwC’s U.S. tax practice provides business advice on tax strategy, global structuring, controversy, compliance and legislative and regulatory analysis to clients ranging from multinational corporations to prominent individuals. Our industry-based teams work with many of the world’s largest organizations, serving public and private companies in all industry sectors, including financial services, technology, industrial products, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, and entertainment, media and communications. Our national practices help clients across a broad spectrum of complex tax and business matters, including human resources, international assignments, international and national tax, mergers and acquisitions, state and local tax and transfer pricing. More than 7,000 professionals serve clients through PwC’s U.S. tax practice, while more than 30,000 tax professionals provide tax services through PwC member firms in 153 countries around the world.
BDO USA, LLP has announced that Matt Becker has been elected to the firm’s board of directors with effect from 1 November.
Matthew K. Becker, 36, is a partner and Tax Business Line Leader for BDO’s West Michigan offices. Matt provides tax consulting services to both private and public companies in the technology, manufacturing, retail, distribution, service and construction industries. During his career, he has assisted clients in developing efficient tax structures domestically and worldwide and has vast experience with the regulatory compliance requirements associated with such structures. Matt combines knowledge of gift, estate and trust taxation with knowledge of the taxation of business operations by federal, state and local jurisdictions in the U.S, and abroad to arrive at the most efficient tax posture for his clients. A member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, Matt is a graduate of Michigan State University.
International law firm SJ Berwin has announced that Markus Hill returns to the firm as a partner in its tax team in Frankfurt.
Markus rejoins the firm on 1 November after a three year absence during which he ran his own successful boutique tax advisory practice.
Originally joining SJ Berwin as a partner in 2002, Markus has extensive experience of advising on transactional tax matters and was instrumental in building up SJ Berwin as one of the leading tax practices for buyouts and transactional tax services in Germany.
As the partner responsible for clients such as Cognetas, Star Capital and ECM as well as many of the firm’s property clients, Markus was highly regarded as a leading technical tax advisor able to translate complex tax issues into clear and comprehensible structures and advice.
Rüdiger Knopf, member of SJ Berwin’s German Management Committee, said: “Within the tax department Markus was known as one of our go-to partners for clients, associates and partners in other practice groups. Our clients and deal partners admired his clear structures and innovative advice and we are truly delighted to have him back on the team.”
Markus Hill said: “After running my own tax boutique I am delighted to join SJ Berwin again. The firm’s international reputation and potential is the perfect platform for the further successful development of my structural tax advice business.”
Rob Day, Managing Partner of SJ Berwin, said: “Our clients increasingly need multi-jurisdictional advice on complex tax issues arising in their transactions, fundraisings and operations. This hire shows our commitment to the expansion of our international tax group and the further development of SJ Berwin’s core practice areas around the world.”
Cox Enterprises, Inc. has announced that Maria Friedman has been named senior vice president, tax and treasury services, effective January 1, 2012. She will continue reporting to John Dyer, executive vice president and chief financial officer.
“For more than 20 years, Maria has served as a valuable and strategic business partner, particularly on corporate tax issues, to leaders throughout all of our subsidiaries,” said Dyer. “Her newly added responsibilities recognize her for years of excellent results, and I am pleased that she continues to broaden her scope and career here at Cox.”
In her expanded role, Friedman adds treasury, risk and pension to her slate of responsibilities. While continuing to provide leadership to Cox’s corporate tax function, she also will be responsible for insuring liquidity, managing outside investor relations for bondholders, investment strategy for defined benefit plans, operational banking, cash management and the company’s risk management programs.
Most recently, Friedman served as senior vice president, corporate tax previously serving in a variety of tax roles including vice president of corporate tax and assistant vice president of tax. She joined Cox Enterprises in 1991 as a senior tax specialist and was promoted to tax counsel, tax manager and director of tax. Friedman began her career with Ernst & Whinney in 1987 and worked in both the Atlanta and Washington, D.C. offices.
Friedman serves on the board of directors for The Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce and Broadband Tax Institute. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Emory University, a juris doctorate degree from Georgia State University and is a member of the Georgia State Bar.
Richard Jacobson Announces Retirement
After nearly 30 years of dedicated service with the company, Richard Jacobson has announced his retirement at year end. Jacobson joined Cox in 1982 and served as assistant to the treasurer, manager of treasury operations, assistant treasurer and treasurer respectively. He was promoted to his current position in October 2005 and previously held the position of vice president and treasurer. He has also worked in various finance related positions at Contel and National Data Corporation.
“Richard has served admirably for the past three decades as a loyal and committed colleague,” said Dyer. “We are grateful for his leadership in developing a top-notch team and for diligently managing our key investor and operational banking relationships. As a community leader, I know he will continue to make an impact in Atlanta in his retirement.”
About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is a leading communications, media and automotive services company. With revenues of nearly $15 billion and more than 60,000 employees, the company’s major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications, Inc. (cable television distribution, telephone, high-speed Internet access, commercial telecommunications and advertising solutions); Manheim, Inc. (vehicle auctions, repair and certification services and web-based technology products); Cox Media Group, Inc. (television and radio stations, digital media, newspapers, advertising sales rep firms, Valpak and Cox Digital Solutions); and AutoTrader.com (online automotive advertising and Kelley Blue Book, vAuto, HomeNet Automotive and Vin Solutions subsidiaries). Additionally, Cox operates Kudzu.com.
Deloitte, the business advisory firm, has appointed global mobility and reward specialist, Carole Crossley, to lead its growth and markets team in the global employer services group, part of the firm’s tax practice.
Carole has 25 years experience in the global mobility and reward space advising human resources leaders in navigating the challenges of effective human capital management. She joins Deloitte as a director. Carole has held senior HR leadership roles at BP and Lloyds Banking Group, leading major transformation and change management projects covering HR service delivery, process improvement and risk management. Prior to this, she was a partner in the US firm of Arthur Andersen and subsequently a partner at Ernst & Young in Los Angeles and New York where she was the global leader of their mobility outsourcing practice.
Carole Crossley comments: “I’m truly excited to be joining Deloitte as I share their passion for delivering high quality and great client service. HR leaders in global companies currently have the challenge of finding effective ways to resource, grow and operate their business, and managing this in an environment of complex regulation and risk. I look forward to sharing my personal experience of managing such challenges as an HR leader with our clients, and helping them to find relevant solutions.”
Matt Ellis, head of the global employer services group at Deloitte, comments: “Carole is simply an outstanding hire, and we are delighted that she is joining us. The breadth and depth of her experience and insight, as well as her market reputation, will be invaluable to us and our clients.”
Ernst & Young LLP today announced that seasoned tax professional Tremaine “Trim” Smith joined its Indirect, State and Local Tax practice in Seattle, Washington.
Smith is the former Deputy Director of the Washington Department of Revenue, where he spent his entire career. At the Department of Revenue, Smith oversaw more than 90 state tax programs across a variety of businesses and industries. He will leverage his deep knowledge of Washington’s unique tax system as the office’s resident Business and Occupation tax technical resource.
Digital goods taxation and cloud computing are just two of Smith’s areas of focus. He is a highly respected tax resource on emerging business issues and recently represented Washington on the national stage in streamlining sales taxes across a number of states and creating common definitions.
“Trim’s 33 years of Washington State tax experience, coupled with his intimate knowledge of Washington’s biggest companies and of companies who do business in the state, make him an ideal fit for Ernst & Young’s growing Indirect Tax practice,” said Dan Smith, managing partner for Ernst & Young LLP’s Seattle office.
“Trim’s knowledge will help our clients as they confront emerging tax challenges in the state and across the country,” said Gary Holcomb, State and Local Tax Market Leader for Ernst & Young LLP’s Seattle office. “Adding Trim to our team of 11 Washington-based state and local tax professionals enhances the top-quality service we provide to companies across the state.”
In 2009, Smith received the Wade Anderson Memorial Medal for Leadership in Interstate Tax Cooperation. He received Governor’s awards for Distinguished Management Leadership in 2005 and for Quality and Performance in 2004. Smith earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washington State University. He regularly speaks at industry-wide conferences and has authored numerous articles on tax and accounting-related issues.
Weidema van Tol, Attorneys & Tax Advisors in Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that Ted Brooks will represent the Firm in the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Brooks will advise clients of Weidema van Tol and will be responsible for business development and client relationship management. He will be based in Washington, D.C. in the Firm’s new U.S. affiliate office.
“We are extremely pleased that Ted will represent Weidema van Tol. Having worked with Ted while he was with Marriott and ContourGlobal, we are confident that his extensive experience will allow us to further expand our services to multinational companies and law firms”, said Frank Weidema, Managing Partner of Weidema van Tol and Vice President of Temmes Management Services B.V.
Mr. Brooks has over 15 years of public company, private company and law firm experience assisting companies in developing tax and transfer pricing strategies for international corporate structures, investments, joint ventures, structured financings and complex M&A transactions. He specializes in both U.S. and non-U.S. tax laws and is a frequent speaker on U.S., international and cross-border taxation.
Previously, Mr. Brooks was Vice President of Tax and General Tax Counsel of ContourGlobal, a company that develops, acquires and operates power and energy companies around the globe. He was also formerly Vice President, International Tax for Marriott International, a leading hospitality and lodging company with more than 3,000 lodging properties in the U.S. and 67 other countries and territories. Earlier in his career, Mr. Brooks was an associate within the Tax Practice Group at the Washington D.C. law firm of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP.
Mr. Brooks is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court. He is a member of the D.C. Bar Tax Section, the American Bar Association and the ABA Tax Section. He received a Masters of Law degree in Tax from the Frederic G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida, a Juris Doctor degree from the Delaware Law School and a B.B.A. degree in International Finance from the University of Miami (FL).
Mr. Brooks will work closely with Sean King who is a representative of Weidema van Tol based in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. King will serve as Of Counsel to the U.S. affiliate office of Weidema van Tol in Washington, D.C. Mr. Brooks will also work closely with Gene White who is the U.S.-based representative of Temmes Management Services B.V. (www.temmes-management.com). Temmes Management Services B.V. is an affiliate of Weidema van Tol which provides management services to international holding, finance and operating companies in Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands. These services include accounting, tax, treasury support, corporate secretarial, resident director, staffing and office leasing services.
Weidema van Tol (www.wvant.com) is a partnership of attorneys and tax advisors which focuses on providing corporate legal and tax services to multinational corporations. It specializes in assisting its clients with international holding, finance and operating structures. Weidema van Tol has offices in Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands and now an affiliated office in the United States.
